[NTLUG:Discuss] here is the description of the SCO IP license

[fredjame]

OK - let's look at that a moment, because I really want to know.
(a) In each distribution, which pre 2.4 kernel version is considered the 
best, stable version?  Not which distro, but which version within each 
distro?  If you can only speak for one distro, please limit yourself to 
that - this is not a distro war.
(b) Does that version support  the ext3 filesystem?

For example, while I am not an expert, the only distro I have really 
done much with before Mandrake 9.1, was Red Hat.
- Red Hat 6.2 (kernel 2.2.14) was IMHO pretty good, but did not support ext3
- Red Hat 7.0 (kernel 2.2.16) was announced as "2.4 kernel ready", 
(again IMHO) kind of sucked, and also did not support ext3
- Red Hat 7.1 (kernel 2.4) did not support the ext3 file system - I 
believe that happened with Red Hat 7,2 (kernel 2.4.7)

So, in Red Hat to be "pre 2.4" one would have to back off to at least 
7.0, and one would certainly not have support for ext3 - unless one of 
our Gurus knows how to do that.

Therefore I pose this question:  Now that we are all 2.4+ and using 
ext3, what is the best way to back up to pre 2.4 and ext2?  The only 
thing I can think of is to (a) ftp all ones important files to a second 
machine, or write them off to a CD or tape, (b) reinstall the earlier OS 
on the first machine, hoping the OS will support all the hardware one 
wants to use (uh oh - gotcha!), then bring all those files back on board 
to their new ext2 homeland.  I would love to hear some more soothing 
noises than that, if anyone can provide them.

In my particular case, I have run Red Hat Linux laptops from RH 6.1 to 
7.3 (skipped 8.x, and didn't like 9), and now I run my laptop with 
Mandrake 9.1 - I would back off to pre 2.4 and willingly use ext2 again 
(even though I have grown fond of ext3, and really like Mandrake 9.1) 
but lack of support for the monitor, the USB floppy, etc. might be a 
serious show stopper.

Rusty Haddock wrote:

>fredjame wrote:
>    >I guess we "little guys" have until 15 October to decide how to place, 
>    >or hedge, our bets - and make no mistake, it is a bet either way.  SCO 
>    >may just need the cash, may hope to generate fear of Linux, may even 
>
>Er... s/need/WANT/
>
>    >hope to set some kind of "president" or "try the case in the media" to 
>    >influence the final outcome, but I find it despicable of SCO to be using 
>    >this terroristic gambit, no matter what their reason.  I view it more 
>    >like a thief with a gun to one's head than a horse race, but the 
>    >probability of a "refund" is no doubt the same.
>
>I s'pose, in actuality, it's a thief with a probabilistic gun to one's
>head.  The question becomes, what's the probability that the gun is
>really there AND it being loaded.  As far as I'm concerned SCO just has
>their finger pointing in their jacket pocket.
>
>On the other hand, how hard would it truly be to "downgrade" your Linux
>kernel?   OK, maybe it's some trouble but should worst come to worst,
>will it be truly more expensive than being robbed by SCO???  That's the
>question every business running, what, 2.4.*(?) of the Linux kernel
>needs to ask themselves.
>
>	-Rusty-
>  
>

-- 
...small is beautiful.